The present invention relates generally to a voice response service apparatus. The present invention relates more particularly to a voice response service apparatus for quickly reproducing hysteresis data and changing a voice quality in accordance with attributes such as a sex distinction and an age classification of a telephone service user and also an operation environment of a target user.
A telephone service system is known as a computer-assisted voice response service apparatus for making an auto response.
According to the telephone service, voices are emitted with a preset voice quality (speed, voice volume or BGM (background music)). This type of voice response service apparatus sets, when the telephone service is offered, the voice quality to the standard one adapted to, e.g., a given age group.
Such a voice response service apparatus is disclose in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 59-181767 or No. 3-160868. The voice response service apparatuses disclosed in those Patent Publications offer services for referring a deposit balance by use of a voice recognizing device within the voice response service apparatus.
Further, an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 61-235940 corrects an output level so that a voice output level through a telephone is always kept to a fixed value. With this correction, the user is able to easily hear the voice data.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 61-235940, however, the user is required to designate a voice volume and a sex distinction in order to correct the output level. That is, the operation is troublesome because of a manual correction.
Further, apparatuses disclosed in other remaining Publications did not offer the services with the voice quality adapted to the user. This kind of voice response service apparatus was required to perform a subtle adjustment to provide an easy understanding for the user by emitting a loud voice or by a slow speech depending on the user to talk with. For this reason, such a voice response service apparatus as to automatically change the voice quality according to ages and sexes of the users was needed.
Moreover, the above-described voice response service apparatus is capable of selling goods through telecommunications by making use of the telephone service. This voice response service apparatus normally collects pieces of user's data and goods input data from the users as an item of hysteresis data.
In the above voice response service apparatus, when receiving an inquiry from the user due to an order sending trouble in terms of a type of goods ordered by the user, a quantity thereof and an amount of money as well, it is required that the operation of the user is confirmed by tracing back the past hysteresis data.
Further, the above voice response service apparatus has hitherto, if a trouble would happen, manually reproduced the operation of the user on the basis of the hysteresis data.
The above-described voice response service apparatus, however, had to manually reproduce the hysteresis data if, e.g., the order sending trouble would happen. Hence, that was not only time-consuming but also entailed an increased expenditure for the personnel. In addition, there was a necessity for automatically following up where a malfunction was caused.
Furthermore, in this type of voice response service apparatus, there were manually performed a test for causing the order sending trouble and a test for smoothly effecting the voice response service, and, therefore, a considerable number of testing steps for a maintenance as well as for a development were needed.